Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1887-02-10

Il suppose our CallfOrnla SHnS DOfrOWS
largely from the medical and spiritual pro-
fession," returned Thatcher. But isn't it
odd that man should keep conscientious
record of his own villainy?"
Harlowe, little abashed at his want of
knowledge of American metaphor, now felt
himself at home. "Well. no. It's not un-
usual. In one of those books yonder there
is the record of a case where man,
who lad committed a series of nameless
atrocities, extending over period of years,
absolutely kept memorandum of them IL
his pocket diary. 1t was produced in court.
Why, my dear fellow, one half of our bust
ness arises from the fact that men and
women are in the habit of keeping letters and
documents that they might i don't say
you know, that they ought, that's question
of sentiment or ethcs-but that they might
destroy"
Thatcher half mechanically took the tele-
gram of poor Carmen and threw it in the
fire. Harlowe noticed the act and smiled.
"I'll venture to say, however, that there's
nothing in the bag that you lost that need
give you Il moments uneasiness. It's only
your rascal or fool who carries with him that
which makes him his own detective"
IL had a friend,n continued Harlowe, "a
clever fellow enough, but who was so foolish
as to seriously complicate himself with d
woman. He was himself the soul of honor,
and at the beginning of their correspondence
he heproposed that they should each return the
others letters with their answer They did
so for years, but it cost him ten thousand
dollars and no end Of trouble after all"
"Why!" asked Thatcher simply.
because he was such an egotistical ass as
to keep the letter proposing it, which she had
duly returned, among his papers senti-
mental record. Of course somebody eventu-
ally found it,"
abruptly. "If 1 stayed here much longer
should begin to disbelieve my own mother"
81 have known of such hereditary traits -
returned Harlowe with a laugh. But come,
you must not go without the champagne :"
He led the way to the adjacent room, which
proved to be only the ante-chamber of
another, on the threshold of which Thatcher
stopped with genuine surprise. 1t was an
elegantly furnished library.
"Sybarite Why was l never here before?"
because you came as a client tonight
you are my guest. All who enter here leave
their business, with their hats i'll the hall
Look; there isn't law book on those shelves;
that table never was defaced by d title
deed or parchment. You look puzzled!
Wen, it was whim of mine to put my resi-
dence and my workshop under the same roof
yet so distinct that they would never inter
fere with each other You know the house
above is let out to lodgers | occupy the first
floor with my mother and sister, and this is
my parlor. | do my work in that severe
room that fronts the street; here is where
play. A man must have something else in
life than mere business l find it less harm
full and expensive to have my pleasure here"
Thatcher had sunk moodily in the embrac
ing arms of an easy chair. He was thinking
deeply; he was fond of books, too, and, like
all men who have Jared hard and led wander
ing lives, he knew the value of cultivated re-
pose. Like all men who have been obliged
he appreciated the luxuries of linen sheets
and frescoed roof. 1t is, by the way, only
your sick city CLERK or You dyspeptic clergy
man, who fancy that they have found in the
bad bread, fried steaks, and frowzy fannels
of mountain picnicing the true art of
living. And it is somewhat notable fact
that your true mountaineer or your gentle
man who has Leen obliged to honestly trough
it," does net, as a general thing, write books
about its advantages, OF implore their fellow
mortals to come and share their solitude and
their disco lforts.
II Eoughly appreciating the taste and COM
fort of Harlowe's library, yet half envious of
its owner. and half suspicious that his own
earnest life for the past few years might have
been different Thatcher suddenly started from
his seat and walked towards parlor easel,
whereon stood a picture. 1t was Carmen de
Haros first sketch of the furnace and the mine.
IL see you are taken with that picture"
said Harlowe, pausing with the champagne
bottle in his hand. you show your good
taste It's been much admired. Observe
how splendidly that freight plays over the
sleeping face of that figure, yet brings out by
very contrast its almost deathlike repose.
Those rocks are powerfully handled; what
suggestion of mystery in those shadows!
You know the painterl'
Thatcher murmured, "Mss De Haro," with
a new and rather odd self-consciousness in
speaking her name.
"Yes. And you know the story of the pic
ture, of coursew
Thatcher thought he didn't. Well, no; in
fact he did not remember.
"Why, this recumbent figure was an old
Spanish lover of hers, whom she believed to
have been murdered there. It's "a ghastly
fancy, isn't it,"
Two things annoyed Thatcher; first the
epithet "lover," as applied to Concho by
another man; second, that the picture be-
longed to him; and what the ID did she
mean by
"Yes," he broke out finally; but how did
you get its'
"Oh, bought it of her I've been sort of
patron of her ever since found out how she
stood towards us. As she was quite alone
here in Washington, my mother and sister
have taken her up, and have been doing the
social thing"
How long sinceF' asked Thatcher
"Oh, not long. The day she telegraphed
you she came here to know what she could do
for us, and when / said nothing could be done
except to keep congress off, why she went
and did At. For she, and she alone, got that
speech out of the senator. But" he added,
little mischievously, you seem to know
very little about her."
"No-I-that is-Tve been very busy late